The Los Angeles Angels and the Texas Rangers opened up a huge four-game series Thursday night in Texas with major playoff implications on the line.
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Game two of the four game series continues Friday night in Arlington as Martin Perez of the Rangers faces off against Jered Weaver of the Angels.
The win put the Rangers back in the playoffs for the first time since 2012; the team can lock up the AL West division title with either one win over the final three games or one loss by the second-place Houston Astros.
Texas could not clinch the American League West on Thursday with the Astros idle, but can do so on Friday with another win over Los Angeles. The Angels were eliminated from the divisional race, left to hope for a Wild-Card berth.
Minnesota entered the night one-game behind the Houston Astros for the second wild card spot in the American League.
But in the fourth inning, Dempster doesn’t retire a single batter. Holland lasted into the seventh inning allowing only 3 hits, 1 HR, and held the powerful Angels lineup to a. 150 average.
Choo will be playing in the postseason for the second time, after playing in the National League Wild Card Game for the Cincinnati Reds in 2013. Shin-Soo Choo singled and Adrian Beltre followed with his 17th homer of the year to deep left field.
“Miggy will get in there at least one game”, manager Brad Ausmus said, though he wasn’t sure which game or games that would be in Chicago. He is 4 for 37 in his last nine games.
Jason Hammel (10-7) threw five shutout innings to match his career high in wins.
Dempster is removed from the game and will never throw another pitch for the Texas Rangers.
Sabathia allowed one run and six hits in his fifth start since returning from a right knee problem.
But Perez then retired 19 of the last 21 batters he faced, issuing a two-out walk to Trout in the third and allowing a two-out single to Aybar in the fifth.
TWINS 4, INDIANS 2 Pinch-runner Eduard Nunez scored from third base on a wild pitch and Torii Hunter (Pine Bluff) hit a sacrifice fly in the ninth inning to give visiting Minnesota a victory over Cleveland.
Chirinos led off the second with his 10th homer, putting Texas ahead to stay. He is 15-8 with a 3.50 ERA in 36 career starts against the Rangers.
In the months following that disastrous day, Josh Hamilton signed with the Anaheim Angels, and, feeling that the dropped fly ball was just the rotten cherry atop a sundae whipped up from the putrid dugout water of O.co stadium, Ranger fans were happy to see him go.
“Man, I mean, I’m not one to complain about umpires, but it sure looked like a strike to me”, Heaney said of that 2-2 pitch. The always-reliable Adrian Beltre and Prince Fielder have been averaging.
1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 left on.
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Phil Gosselin hit an inside-the-park home run for Arizona with two outs in the seventh to start Arizona’s rally. It was his first twofold play grounder since July 11.
